mrs. falconer and miss bailey walked home together through the fine blue summer afternoon from the ladies' aid meeting at mrs. robinson's. they were talking earnestly; that is to say, miss bailey was talking earnestly and volubly, and mrs. falconer was listening. mrs. falconer had reduced the practice of listening to a fine art. she was a thin, wistful-faced mite of a woman, with sad brown eyes, and with snow-white hair that was a libel on her fifty-five years and girlish step. nobody in lindsay ever felt very well acquainted with mrs. falconer, in spite of the fact that she had lived among them forty years. she kept between her and her world a fine, baffling reserve which no one had ever been able to penetrate. it was known that she had had a bitter sorrow in her life, but she never made any reference to it, and most people in lindsay had forgotten it. some foolish ones even supposed that mrs. falconer had forgotten it.
"well, i do not know what on earth is to be done with camilla clark," said miss bailey, with a prodigious sigh. "i suppose that we will simply have to trust the whole matter to providence."
miss bailey's tone and sigh really seemed to intimate to the world at large that providence was a last resort and a very dubious one. not that miss bailey meant anything of the sort; her faith was as substantial as her works, which were many and praiseworthy and seasonable.
the case of camilla clark was agitating the ladies' aid of one of the lindsay churches. they had talked about it through the whole of that afternoon session while they sewed for their missionary box—talked about it, and come to no conclusion.
in the preceding spring james clark, one of the hands in the lumber mill at lindsay, had been killed in an accident. the shock had proved nearly fatal to his young wife. the next day camilla clark's baby was born dead, and the poor mother hovered for weeks between life and death. slowly, very slowly, life won the battle, and camilla came back from the valley of the shadow. but she was still an invalid, and would be so for a long time.
the clarks had come to lindsay only a short time before the accident. they were boarding at mrs. barry's when it happened, and mrs. barry had shown every kindness and consideration to the unhappy young widow. but now the barrys were very soon to leave lindsay for the west, and the question was, what was to be done with camilla clark? she could not go west; she could not even do work of any sort yet in lindsay; she had no relatives or friends in the world; and she was absolutely penniless. as she and her husband had joined the church to which the aforesaid ladies' aid belonged, the members thereof felt themselves bound to take up her case and see what could be done for her.
the obvious solution was for some of them to offer her a home until such time as she would be able to go to work. but there did not seem to be anyone who could offer to do this—unless it was mrs. falconer. the church was small, and the ladies' aid smaller. there were only twelve members in it; four of these were unmarried ladies who boarded, and so were helpless in the matter; of the remaining eight seven had large families, or sick husbands, or something else that prevented them from offering camilla clark an asylum. their excuses were all valid; they were good, sincere women who would have taken her in if they could, but they could not see their way clear to do so. however, it was probable they would eventually manage it in some way if mrs. falconer did not rise to the occasion.
nobody liked to ask mrs. falconer outright to take camilla clark in, yet everyone thought she might offer. she was comfortably off, and though her house was small, there was nobody to live in it except herself and her husband. but mrs. falconer sat silent through all the discussion of the ladies' aid, and never opened her lips on the subject of camilla clark despite the numerous hints which she received.
miss bailey made one more effort as aforesaid. when her despairing reference to providence brought forth no results, she wished she dared ask mrs. falconer openly to take camilla clark, but somehow she did not dare. there were not many things that could daunt miss bailey, but mrs. falconer's reserve and gentle aloofness always could.
when miss bailey had gone on down the village street, mrs. falconer paused for a few moments at her gate, apparently lost in deep thought. she was perfectly well aware of all the hints that had been thrown out for her benefit that afternoon. she knew that the aids, one and all, thought that she ought to take camilla clark. but she had no room to give her—for it was out of the question to think of putting her in missy's room.
"i couldn't do such a thing," she said to herself piteously. "they don't understand—they can't understand—but i couldn't give her missy's room. i'm sorry for poor camilla, and i wish i could help her. but i can't give her missy's room, and i have no other."
the little falconer cottage, set back from the road in the green seclusion of an apple orchard and thick, leafy maples, was a very tiny one. there were just two rooms downstairs and two upstairs. when mrs. falconer entered the kitchen an old-looking man with long white hair and mild blue eyes looked up with a smile from the bright-coloured blocks before him.
"have you been lonely, father?" said mrs. falconer tenderly.
he shook his head, still smiling.
"no, not lonely. these"—pointing to the blocks—"are so pretty. see my house, mother."
this man was mrs. falconer's husband. once he had been one of the smartest, most intelligent men in lindsay, and one of the most trusted employees of the railroad company. then there had been a train collision. malcolm falconer was taken out of the wreck fearfully injured. he eventually recovered physical health, but he was from that time forth merely a child in intellect—a harmless, kindly creature, docile and easily amused.
mrs. falconer tried to dismiss the thought of camilla clark from her mind, but it would not be dismissed. her conscience reproached her continually. she tried to compromise with it by saying that she would go down and see camilla that evening and take her some nice fresh irish moss jelly. it was so good for delicate people.
she found camilla alone in the barry sitting-room, and noticed with a feeling that was almost like self-reproach how thin and frail and white the poor young creature looked. why, she seemed little more than a child! her great dark eyes were far too big for her wasted face, and her hands were almost transparent.
"i'm not much better yet," said camilla tremulously, in response to mrs. falconer's inquiries. "oh, i'm so slow getting well! and i know—i feel that i'm a burden to everybody."
"but you mustn't think that, dear," said mrs. falconer, feeling more uncomfortable than ever. "we are all glad to do all we can for you."
mrs. falconer paused suddenly. she was a very truthful woman and she instantly realized that that last sentence was not true. she was not doing all she could for camilla—she would not be glad, she feared, to do all she could.
"if i were only well enough to go to work," sighed camilla. "mr. marks says i can have a place in the shoe factory whenever i'm able to. but it will be so long yet. oh, i'm so tired and discouraged!"
she put her hands over her face and sobbed. mrs. falconer caught her breath. what if missy were somewhere alone in the world—ill, friendless, with never a soul to offer her a refuge or a shelter? it was so very, very probable. before she could check herself mrs. falconer spoke. "my dear, don't cry! i want you to come and stay with me until you get perfectly well. you won't be a speck of trouble, and i'll be glad to have you for company."
mrs. falconer's rubicon was crossed. she could not draw back now if she wanted to. but she was not at all sure that she did want to. by the time she reached home she was sure she didn't want to. and yet—to give missy's room to camilla! it seemed a great sacrifice to mrs. falconer.
she went up to it the next morning with firmly set lips to air and dust it. it was just the same as when missy had left it long ago. nothing had ever been moved or changed, but everything had always been kept beautifully neat and clean. snow-white muslin curtains hung before the small square window. in one corner was a little white bed. missy's pictures hung on the walls; missy's books and work-basket were lying on the square stand; there was a bit of half-finished fancy work, yellow from age, lying in the basket. on a small bureau before the gilt-framed mirror were several little girlish knick-knacks and boxes whose contents had never been disturbed since missy went away. one of missy's gay pink ribbons—missy had been so fond of pink ribbons—hung over the top of the mirror. on a chair lay missy's hat, bright with ribbons and roses, just as missy had laid it there on the night before she left her home.
mrs. falconer's lips quivered as she looked about the room, and tears came to her eyes. oh, how could she put these things away and bring a stranger here—here, where no one save herself had entered for fifteen years, here in this room, sacred to missy's memory, waiting for her return when she should be weary of wandering? it almost seemed to the mother's vague fancy, distorted by long, silent brooding, that her daughter's innocent girlhood had been kept here for her and would be lost forever if the room were given to another.
"i suppose it's dreadful foolishness," said mrs. falconer, wiping her eyes. "i know it is, but i can't help it. it just goes to my heart to think of putting these things away. but i must do it. camilla is coming here today, and this room must be got ready for her. oh, missy, my poor lost child, it's for your sake i'm doing this—because you may be suffering somewhere as camilla is now, and i'd wish the same kindness to be shown to you."
she opened the window and put fresh linen on the bed. one by one missy's little belongings were removed and packed carefully away. on the gay, foolish little hat with its faded wreath of roses the mother's tears fell as she put it in a box. she remembered so plainly the first time missy had worn it. she could see the pretty, delicately tinted face, the big shining brown eyes, and the riotous golden curls under the drooping, lace-edged brim. oh, where was missy now? what roof sheltered her? did she ever think of her mother and the little white cottage under the maples, and the low-ceilinged, dim room where she had knelt to say her childhood's prayer?
camilla clark came that afternoon.
"oh, it is lovely here," she said gratefully, looking out into the rustling shade of the maples. "i'm sure i shall soon get well here. mrs. barry was so kind to me—i shall never forget her kindness—but the house is so close to the factory, and there was such a whirring of wheels all the time, it seemed to get into my head and make me wild with nervousness. i'm so weak that sounds like that worry me. but it is so still and green and peaceful here. it just rests me."
when bedtime came, mrs. falconer took camilla up to missy's room. it was not as hard as she had expected it to be after all. the wrench was over with the putting away of missy's things, and it did not hurt the mother to see the frail, girlish camilla in her daughter's place.
"what a dear little room!" said camilla, glancing around. "it is so white and sweet. oh, i know i am going to sleep well here, and dream sweet dreams."
"it was my daughter's room," said mrs. falconer, sitting down on the chintz-covered seat by the open window.
camilla looked surprised.
"i did not know you had a daughter," she said.
"yes—i had just the one child," said mrs. falconer dreamily.
for fifteen years she had never spoken of missy to a living soul except her husband. but now she felt a sudden impulse to tell camilla about her, and about the room.
"her name was isabella, after her father's mother, but we never called her anything but missy. that was the little name she gave herself when she began to talk. oh, i've missed her so!"
"when did she die?" asked camilla softly, sympathy shining, starlike, in her dark eyes.
"she—she didn't die," said mrs. falconer. "she went away. she was a pretty girl and gay and fond of fun—but such a good girl. oh, missy was always a good girl! her father and i were so proud of her—too proud, i suppose. she had her little faults—she was too fond of dress and gaiety, but then she was so young, and we indulged her. then bert williams came to lindsay to work in the factory. he was a handsome fellow, with taking ways about him, but he was drunken and profane, and nobody knew anything about his past life. he fascinated missy. he kept coming to see her until her father forbade him the house. then our poor, foolish child used to meet him elsewhere. we found this out afterwards. and at last she ran away with him, and they were married over at peterboro and went there to live, for bert had got work there. we—we were too hard on missy. but her father was so dreadful hurt about it. he'd been so fond and proud of her, and he felt that she had disgraced him. he disowned her, and sent her word never to show her face here again, for he'd never forgive her. and i was angry too. i didn't send her any word at all. oh, how i've wept over that! if i had just sent her one little word of forgiveness, everything might have been different. but father forbade me to.
"then in a little while there was a dreadful trouble. a woman came to peterboro and claimed to be bert williams's wife—and she was—she proved it. bert cleared out and was never seen again in these parts. as soon as we heard about it father relented, and i went right down to peterboro to see missy and bring her home. but she wasn't there—she had gone, nobody knew where. i got a letter from her the next week. she said her heart was broken, and she knew we would never forgive her, and she couldn't face the disgrace, so she was going away where nobody would ever find her. we did everything we could to trace her, but we never could. we've never heard from her since, and it is fifteen years ago. sometimes i am afraid she is dead, but then again i feel sure she isn't. oh, camilla, if i could only find my poor child and bring her home!
"this was her room. and when she went away i made up my mind i would keep it for her just as she left it, and i have up to now. nobody has ever been inside the door but myself. i've always hoped that missy would come home, and i would lead her up here and say, 'missy, here is your room just as you left it, and here is your place in your mother's heart just as you left it,' but she never came. i'm afraid she never will."
mrs. falconer dropped her face in her hands and sobbed softly. camilla came over to her and put her arms about her.
"i think she will," she said. "i think—i am sure your love and prayers will bring missy home yet. and i understand how good you have been in giving me her room—oh, i know what it must have cost you! i will pray tonight that god will bring missy back to you."
when mrs. falconer returned to the kitchen to close the house for the night, her husband being already sound asleep; she heard a low, timid knock at the door. wondering who it could be so late, she opened it. the light fell on a shrinking, shabby figure on the step, and on a pale, pinched face in which only a mother could have recognized the features of her child. mrs. falconer gave a cry.
"missy! missy! missy!"
she caught the poor wanderer to her heart and drew her in.
"oh, missy, missy, have you come back at last? thank god! oh, thank god!"
"i had to come back. i was starving for a glimpse of your face and of the old home, mother," sobbed missy. "but i didn't mean you should know—i never meant to show myself to you. i've been sick, and just as soon as i got better i came here. i meant to creep home after dark and look at the dear old house, and perhaps get a glimpse of you and father through the window if you were still here. i didn't know if you were. and then i meant to go right away on the night train. i was under the window and i heard you telling my story to someone. oh, mother, when i knew that you had forgiven me, that you loved me still and had always kept my room for me, i made up my mind that i'd show myself to you."
the mother had got her child into a rocking-chair and removed the shabby hat and cloak. how ill and worn and faded missy looked! yet her face was pure and fine, and there was in it something sweeter than had ever been there in her beautiful girlhood.
"i'm terribly changed, am i not, mother?" said missy, with a faint smile. "i've had a hard life—but an honest one, mother. when i went away i was almost mad with the disgrace my wilfulness had brought on you and father and myself. i went as far as i could get away from you, and i got work in a factory. i've worked there ever since, just making enough to keep body and soul together. oh, i've starved for a word from you—the sight of your face! but i thought father would spurn me from his door if i should ever dare to come back."
"oh, missy!" sobbed the mother. "your poor father is just like a child. he got a terrible hurt ten years ago, and never got over it. i don't suppose he'll even know you—he's clean forgot everything. but he forgave you before it happened. you poor child, you're done right out. you're too weak to be travelling. but never mind, you're home now, and i'll soon nurse you up. i'll put on the kettle and get you a good cup of tea first thing. and you're not to do any more talking till the morning. but, oh, missy, i can't take you to your own room after all. camilla clark has it, and she'll be asleep by now; we mustn't disturb her, for she's been real sick. i'll fix up a bed for you on the sofa, though. missy, missy, let us kneel down here and thank god for his mercy!"
late that night, when missy had fallen asleep in her improvised bed, the wakeful mother crept in to gloat over her.
"just to think," she whispered, "if i hadn't taken camilla clark in, missy wouldn't have heard me telling about the room, and she'd have gone away again and never have known. oh, i don't deserve such a blessing when i was so unwilling to take camilla! but i know one thing: this is going to be camilla's home. there'll be no leaving it even when she does get well. she shall be my daughter, and i'll love her next to missy."
